LaunchDay Podcast Daniel Vassallo – Small Bets
Aug 11, 2025
Daniel Vassallo, an indie maker and former Amazon employee, shares his journey of building sustainable businesses through Small Bets. He discusses the cultural shift from Ireland to the U.S. and how it impacted his career. Vassallo reflects on the emotional complexities of leaving a stable job for freelancing, his self-publishing success, and the balance of creativity with business demands. He also dives into pricing strategies for digital products and the importance of community support as he navigates the entrepreneurial landscape.
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From Malta To CloudWatch
- Daniel moved from Malta to Dublin then Seattle and spent a decade building CloudWatch at Amazon, gaining deep database and monitoring experience.
- That path taught him rigorous engineering practices and led to rapid compensation growth after moving to the US.
Counteroffer That Triggered A Sabbatical
- Daniel received a counteroffer from Amazon (higher pay + sabbatical) after an Oracle offer and used it to take a break and explore projects.
- That sabbatical eventually led him to start independent projects and plan his exit from full-time corporate work.
A Viral Launch With Small Returns
- After quitting Amazon in Feb 2019 Daniel built Userbase and launched it with good press but small revenue, spending significant runway.
- The launch taught him that viral attention doesn't guarantee sustainable income and prompted a pivot to freelancing.